A man suspected of detonating three bombs targeting the Borussia Dortmund soccer team bus in April, Sergej W, arrives to stand trial at a German state court in Dortmund, Germany, December 21, 2017. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay

Borussia Dortmund Bomb Suspect Stands Trial for Attempted Murder

A German-Russian man suspected of detonating three bombs targeting the Borussia Dortmund soccer team bus in a plan to profit from a plunging share price appeared in a German court on Thursday charged with 28 counts of attempted murder

The team was heading to the club’s stadium for a Champions League match against AS Monaco on April 11 when the explosions went off, wounding Spanish defender Marc Bartra and delaying the match by a day.

Football Soccer – Borussia Dortmund v AS Monaco – UEFA Champions League Quarter Final First Leg – Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany – 11/4/17 The Borussia Dortmund team bus is seen after an explosion near their hotel before the game Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach/

Letters left at the scene had initially suggested Islamist militants were behind the bomb attack, but prosecutors later said the 28-year old suspect, a dual German and Russian national identified as Sergei V., was motivated by greed.

A man suspected of detonating three bombs targeting the Borussia Dortmund soccer team bus in April, Sergej W, arrives to stand trial at a German state court in Dortmund, Germany, December 21, 2017. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay

The attack near the Signal Iduna Park stadium, the largest in Germany, holding more than 80,000 fans, nonetheless revived memories at the time of the November 2015 attacks in Paris that targeted entertainment venues including the Stade de France where France were playing Germany in a soccer friendly.

The start of the trial also comes only days after the anniversary of a deadly truck attack at a Berlin Christmas market, which killed 12 people and put the issue of security at the heart of political debate in Germany.

Football Soccer – Borussia Dortmund v AS Monaco – UEFA Champions League Quarter Final First Leg – Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany – 11/4/17 Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel is seen by the team bus after an explosion near their hotel before the game Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach/

Sergei V., who was led into a courtroom at the Dortmund regional court in handcuffs on Thursday, may face a life sentence in prison if he is found guilty. No plea was entered.

In addition to the attemptedmurder charges, he is accused of inflicting grievous bodily harm and of causing an explosion.

Football Soccer – Borussia Dortmund v AS Monaco – UEFA Champions League Quarter Final First Leg – Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany – 11/4/17 Borussia Dortmund’s Felix Passlack with Police after an explosion by the Borussia Dortmund team bus near their hotel before the game Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach/

Prosecutors have said that he bought about 44,000 euros (£39,083.51) worth of options on the day of the attack entitling him to sell shares in Borussia Dortmund at a pre-determined price.

“His goal was allegedly to push the price of the shares down through the attack and earn a high profit of around 500,000 euros through the options,” a spokesman for the regional court in Dortmund said.

But shares in BVB rose after the attack and are up 16 percent so far this year.

Football Soccer – Borussia Dortmund v AS Monaco – UEFA Champions League Quarter Final First Leg – Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany – 11/4/17 Police with the Borussia Dortmund team bus after an explosion near their hotel before the game Reuters / Kai Pfaffenbach/

Defence lawyer Carl Heydenreich declined to comment on the allegations against his client on Thursday, saying the matter was complicated by what he said was a “smear campaign” ahead of the trial.

Football Soccer – Borussia Dortmund v AS Monaco – UEFA Champions League Quarter Final First Leg – Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany – 11/4/17 The Borussia Dortmund team bus is seen after an explosion near their hotel before the game Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach/